Monday 28 January 2013

Winter Holidays

I've just had a week's holiday without a computer and you know what that means - no blogging, no working on the story, no dipping into Facebook or Twitter and guess what - did I miss it? Not at all!

It may have had something to do with the holiday being an active one. We went skiing in Zermatt and given my current levels of fitness, plus the fact that for the ten days before we flew I'd had the most abysmal bug which kept me in bed for almost a week, seven days skiing took every ounce of energy I had. I am not as fit as I used to be, that's for sure!

We took off on the 19th with doubt in our minds. Would Geneva be snowbound or not? We landed safely and were then presented with a trek to the Inghams coach. The walk was long enough not to be recommended even when unencumbered, but with suitcases, ski boots and skis to manage, definitely a no-no situation. The coach, which was supermodern and only a third full, no doubt a reflection on the current financial climate, took us to Tasch, from which point no automobiles are allowed further up the valley to Zermatt. Trouble was, our train tickets were with the Inghams rep, who was not there to meet us! He arrived half an hour later, full of apologies, blaming miscommunication between reps. We were not impressed. When we arrived in Zermatt we had another ten minute wait for the hotel taxi, and standing around at night in sub-zero temperatures is no joke. Picture us even less pleased than before.

It was only when we got to the Park Hotel Beau-Site in Zermatt and walked into the warmth and light that we felt we could relax. We thawed out and went down to dinner. The food is always terrific there, and the Swiss wines are astonishingly good. It's only a pity they never make it out of Switzerland. They do so that the Swiss are the heaviest wine drinkers in Europe, but I don't know if that is true. Their diet is heavy in cheese and fat in all forms, but strangely, they also hold the record for the healthiest nation in Europe. Must have something to do with the altitude, and maybe the cold.

Next year, we shall book with the hotel and make out own travel arrangements.

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